FIRST Republican President Kenneth Kaunda has called on Government to resolve the issuance of land title to First Quantum Minerals (FQM)’s Sentinel Minerals Limited which is putting up a $2 billion mining investment in Kalumbila area in Solwezi.
The giant mining firm applied for a land title two years ago for the construction of a mining township with attendant facilities such a police station, health centre, shopping centre and close 700 staff houses, but the Government had not yet issued the title.
Dr Kaunda who is on a tour of the project was speaking at the site after a presentation by Sentinel Minerals Limited Assistant General Manager Tristan Pascal.
He said he would relay the message to President Michael Sata who he had briefed about his tour of the mining project before he left Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Kaunda said the Sentinel mine project was a great investment for Zambia and Africa at large because of the many opportunities it is offering such as employment for the local and other people, technology transfer and infrastructure development in the area which was previously a bush 150 kilometres from Solwezi.
Dr Kaunda said it was gratifying to see young foreigners bring their knowledge and technology to the Zambia.
I will comment after sanity is restored to the party and govt, otherwise therez too much confusion
KK’s mind has become so fragile that it can shift without enough persuasion,so apa maybe ka boss ka ku FQM just had a little chat with him and without adjudication,the old man opened his mouth. I feel sorry for the Zambian people because our source of wisdom is no longer reliable.
And In what capacity is KK touring these projects if i may ask?
@ Zamcab…… Stuuupppid Question! its better to keep quiet than show your foooolishnessss!
Ba Bwalya,your response is frivolous,learn to blog like a civilized person.I just asked a simple question.
He is an investor /partner.
Its Gen. Chinkuli who is using KK to speed up the process of issuing title deed. What else can one conclude. The reason Gen. Chinkuli was given that positionis to lobby this that with GRZ.
Let us have sensible deliberations not useless rhetoric. What is wrong with Dr Kaunda encouraging Govt. to expedite land documentation that would enable FQM to build infrastructure that would benefit it’s workers? Infrastructure that will not be uprooted even after the company decides to pull out of the country. Let us be realistic in our criticism.
Jurisdiction falls under the ministry of land, ministry of mining and ministry of commerce to work out what comes first. after all its projects such as this that PF promised to provide jobs within 90 day. In any case what would be wrong to offer a job of lobbying government to a young person under the age of 65 from an army of unemployed Zambia. His presence in public eye is contributing to perpetuation of joblessness. He cant see that shame!!!
What benefits are these mines bringing to North-Western.May his Royal Highness Senior Chief Kanongesha tell this government what he said In Manyinga during the Lukwakwa traditional ceremony of Senior Chief Sikufele.
The Senior Chief said that government allocates only 8 million in the Yellow book which Kanshashi mine contributes per day.
This time people of North Western let us demand money from our God given resources as we have no one in cabinet to advocate for us as there is the tribal tree.
Viva Senior Chief Kanongesha stand up for North-Western province with this day light robbery of our resources.
Kaunda are you not ashamed to see what is happening now in North-Western.It was your time which never thought as though this province existed.
The stone once rejected by…
I smell a rat as Chinkuli is using KK as a messanger to convey his request to Sata….
I feel it does not matter the capacity KK may voice his position regarding a developmental issue as this one. Thats where we lose it, we focus much more on trivial matters than what is critical and important to the country. It is all in good interest of national development that one would advocate for such housing project, otherwise most investors dont even bother. Those housing projects are the only benefit that Zambia will be left with after depletion of minerals. There is nothing wrong therefore, for anyone supporting such projects, including yourselves. We can help our country by being positive and supportive, or if not just keeping quiet and let the dogs sleep, than always trying to bring down your own country. with love guys
I smell a Rat. We all know the Chinkuli-KK family ties. There is a lot at stake in the project between the two families. This is supposed to be a government interest without need for persuasion from ‘spent personalities’ who should, quite frankly be relaxing in their retirement chairs. If KK thinks has a lot of wisdom to lobby Sata’s government, that must be channelled towards the collapse of rule-of -law, intimidation and the erosion of democracy. Otherwise that image of a sahari-suit clad, fake smiling man has been shoved down our throats this 1964, and we are fed up of it. And lets face it, this man has resurrected into a de facto president having taken advantage of a void in State House. He wouldn’t have been all over place had it been under a smart president of FTJ’s ilk.
There is nothing wrong with KK showing interest in this project after all he is also a stakeholder just like you and I.
Do they need a title for Miners’ houses? Does the title have to be issued in the company’s name?
@ Wu- My friend did you say smart man like FTJ? What did he do that was smart? KK is a free Zambian citizen and if free to speak his mind, however, the government does not have to respond to his requests. To some of you if KK said lets pray for rain in Zambia, you would have a problem with it. Yes you dont like the man, maybe its easier to just come up in the open with that than to obfuscate any simple and noble message he utters.
Whilst working in Mongu from 1968 to 1974 I met Dr Kaunda on three occasions. He was and still is the most highly respected leader in Africa. He presided over the extremely difficult post-independance period and helped to set the country on a firm basis for further development.
KK should keep quiet about the developments in NWP. He never wanted to develop that province for selfish reasons. You can delay progress in that province but it will never be stopped. This is just the beginning. Also prospects in zambezi district are positive for oil reserves, copper , gold and diamond- it is the nyakulen’ga area and is border with Angola. Progress in the province will be seen surging with HH under UPND not the PamaFi .
The PF may have its failures but the underdevelopment in NWP cannot be heaped on PF as it has only been in power for 2 Years. Even KK during his time tried to do something in NWP like he tried in all rural provinces. The same Kansanshi Mine was there during KK’s time but later sold to foreign investors. Kalengwa mine too was there during KK’s time. Mwinilunga cannery ,he established schools,colleges etc. So what neglect?? In UNIP rural development took similar patterns regardless of province. In recent past NWP kept voting for MMD despite lack of proper development even when the 2 major mines are there. From some comments here NWP can’t vote for PF even when they plan to connect the whole province to the national grid and develop more tarred roads to open the province to more…
Cant he ever shut up that old dictator.
It is good that KK has brought the issue to the surface. The question is why is this government dragging its feet on this development matter. Is it because it concerns North-Western Province? Supposing it was in Muchinga, Luapula or Northern Provinces would this delay been allowed? Certainly not! Sata, like his mentor Kaunda, has no heart for North-Western province. It is an enigma that KK today can say something in support of development in North-Western.
I am surprised how the old Zambian politicians do not wish to retire in peace and wish to be in the limelight and each time dragging the country backwards. Why is it difficult for the Zambians to usher new blood into power so that the country can move forward.